mn.74 Majjhima Nikāya (Middle Discourses)

Discourse to Dīghanakha

Thus have I heard: at one time the Lord was staying near Rājagaha on Mount Vulture Peak in the Boar's Cave. Then the wanderer Dīghanakha approached the Lord; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Lord; having conversed in a friendly and courteous way, he stood at a respectful distance. As he was standing at a respectful distance, the wanderer Dīghanakha spoke thus to the Lord:

“I, good Gotama, speak thus, I am of this view: All is not pleasing to me.” “This view of yours, Aggivessana: All is not pleasing to me, does this view of yours not please you?” “If this view were pleasing to me, good Gotama, this would be like it too, that would be like it too.” “Now, Aggivessana, when those, the majority in the world, speak thus: ‘This would be like it too, that would be like it too’, they do not get rid of that very view, and they take up another view. Now, Aggivessana, when those, the minority in the world, speak thus: ‘This would be like it too, that would be like it too’, they get rid of that very view and do not take up another view.

There are, Aggivessana, some recluses and brahmans who speak thus and are of this view: ‘All is pleasing to me.’ There are, Aggivessana, some recluses and brahmans who speak thus and are of this view: ‘All is not pleasing to me.’ There are, Aggivessana, some recluses and brahmans who speak thus and are of this view: ‘Part is pleasing to me, part is not pleasing to me.’ As to this, Aggivessana, those recluses and brahmans who speak thus and are of this view: ‘All is pleasing to me’, this view of theirs is close to attachment, close to the fetters, close to delight, close to cleaving, close to grasping. As to this, Aggivessana, those recluses and brahmans who speak thus and are of this view: ‘All is not pleasing to me’, this view of theirs is close to detachment, close to the absence of fetters, close to the absence of delight, close to the absence of cleaving, close to the absence of grasping.”

When this had been said, the wanderer Dīghanakha spoke thus to the Lord: “The good Gotama is complimentary to my view, the good Gotama is very complimentary to my view.” “As to this, Aggivessana, those recluses and brahmans who speak thus and are of this view: ‘Part is pleasing to me, part is not pleasing to me’, that which in this view is pleasing to them is close to attachment, close to the fetters close to delight, close to cleaving, close to grasping. But that which in this view is not pleasing to them is close to detachment, close to the absence of fetters close to the absence of delight, close to the absence of cleaving, close to the absence of grasping. Concerning those recluses and brahmans, Aggivessana, who speak thus and are of this view: ‘All is pleasing to me,’ if a learned man be there who reflects thus: ‘If I were to express this view of mine: “All is pleasing to me,” and, obstinately holding to it and adhering to it, were to say: “This is indeed the truth, all else is falsehood”, there would be for me dispute with two (view-holders): both with whatever recluse or brahman speaks thus and is of this view: “All is not pleasing to me,” and with whatever recluse or brahman speaks thus and is of this view: “Part is pleasing to me, part is not pleasing to me”, there would be dispute for me with these two. If there is dispute there is contention; if there is contention there is trouble; if there is trouble there is vexation.’ So he, beholding this dispute and contention and trouble and vexation for himself, gets rid of that very view and does not take up another view. Thus is the getting rid of these views, thus is the casting out of these views.

As to this, Aggivessana, those recluses and brahmans who speak thus and are of this view: ‘All is not pleasing to me’, if a learned man be there who reflects thus: ‘If I were to express this view of mine that: “All is not pleasing to me,” and, obstinately holding to it and adhering to it, were to say: “This is the very truth, all else is falsehood,” there would be for me dispute with two (view-holders): both with whatever recluse or brahman speaks thus and is of this view: “All is pleasing to me,” and with whatever recluse or brahman speaks thus and is of this view: “Part is pleasing to me, part is not pleasing to me”, there would be dispute for me with these two. If there is dispute there is contention; if there is contention there is trouble; if there is trouble there is vexation.’ So he, beholding this dispute and contention and trouble and vexation for himself, gets rid of that very view and does not take up another view.

As to this, Aggivessana, those recluses and brahmans who speak thus and are of this view: ‘Part is pleasing to me, part is not pleasing to me’, if a learned man be there who reflects thus: ‘If I were to express this view of mine: “Part is pleasing to me, part is not pleasing to me,” and, obstinately holding to it and adhering to it, were to say: “This is the very truth, all else is falsehood,” there would be for me dispute with two (view-holders): both with whatever recluse or brahman speaks thus and is of this view: “All is pleasing to me,” and with whatever recluse or brahman speaks thus and is of this view: “All is not pleasing to me”, there would be dispute for me with these two. If there is dispute there is contention; if there is contention there is trouble; if there is trouble there is vexation.’ So he, beholding this dispute and contention and trouble and vexation for himself, gets rid of that very view and does not take up another view.

But this body, Aggivessana, which has material shape, is made up of the four great elements, originating from mother and father, nourished on gruel and sour milk, of a nature to be constantly rubbed away, pounded away, broken up and scattered, should be regarded as impermanent, suffering, as a disease, an imposthume, a dart, a misfortune, an affliction, as other, as decay, empty, not-self. When he regards this body as impermanent, suffering, as a disease, an imposthume, a dart, a misfortune, an affliction, as other, as decay, empty, not-self, whatever in regard to body is desire for body, affection for body, subordination to body, this is got rid of.

There are these three feelings, Aggivessana: pleasant feeling, painful feeling, feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant. At the time, Aggivessana, when one feels a pleasant feeling, at that time one feels neither a painful feeling nor does one feel a feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant. At the time, Aggivessana, when one feels a painful feeling, at that time one feels neither a pleasant feeling nor does one feel a feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant. At the time, Aggivessana, when one feels a feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant, at that time one feels neither a pleasant feeling nor does one feel a painful feeling.

Pleasant feelings, Aggivessana, are impermanent, compounded, generated by conditions, liable to destruction, liable to decay, liable to fading away, liable to stopping. And painful feelings, Aggivessana, are impermanent, compounded, generated by conditions, liable to destruction, liable to decay, liable to fading away, liable to stopping. And, Aggivessana, feelings that are neither painful nor pleasant, Aggivessana, are impermanent, compounded, generated by conditions, liable to destruction, liable to decay, liable to fading away, liable to stopping.

Seeing it thus, Aggivessana, an instructed disciple of the ariyans turns away from pleasant feelings and he turns away from painful feelings and he turns away from feelings that are neither painful nor pleasant; turning away he is dispassionate, being dispassionate he is freed, in freedom the knowledge comes to be that he is freed and he comprehends: ‘Destroyed is birth, brought to a close is the Brahma-faring, done is what was to be done, there is no more of being such or so.’ A monk whose mind is freed thus, Aggivessana, does not concur with anyone, he does not dispute with anyone. He makes use of the common phrases of the world without adhering to them.”

Now at that time the venerable Sāriputta was standing behind the Lord, fanning the Lord. Then it occurred to the venerable Sāriputta: “The Lord speaks to us of getting rid of these things and those by means of super-knowledge, the Well-farer speaks to us of casting out these things and those by means of super-knowledge.” While the venerable Sāriputta was reflecting on this, his mind was freed from the cankers without clinging. But to the wanderer Dīghanakha there arose the stainless, spotless vision of Dhamma, that whatever is of the nature to arise all that is of the nature to stop. Then the wanderer Dīghanakha, having seen Dhamma, attained Dhamma, known Dhamma, plunged into Dhamma, having crossed over doubt, having put away uncertainty, attaining without another's help to full confidence in the Teacher's instruction, spoke thus to the Lord: “It is excellent, good Gotama, excellent, good Gotama. It is, good Gotama, as if one might set upright what had been upset, or might disclose what had been covered, or point out the Way to one who had gone astray, or might bring an oil-lamp into the darkness, so that those with vision might see material shapes, even so in many a figure has Dhamma been made clear by the good Gotama. I am going to the revered Gotama for refuge and to Dhamma and to the Order of monks. May the revered Gotama accept me as a layfollower going for refuge from today forth for as long as life lasts.”

Discourse to Dīghanakha: The Fourth

- Translator: I.B. Horner

- Editor: Brother Joe Smith

With Dīghanakha

So I have heard.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain in the Boar’s Cave.
Then the wanderer Dīghanakha went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he stood to one side, and said to the Buddha,
“Master Gotama, this is my doctrine and view:
‘I believe in nothing.’”
“This view of yours, Aggivessana—
do you believe in that?”
“If I believed in this view, Master Gotama, it wouldn’t make any difference, it wouldn’t make any difference!”
“Well, Aggivessana, there are many more in the world who say,
‘It wouldn’t make any difference! It wouldn’t make any difference!’
But they don’t give up that view, and they grasp another view.
And there are a scant few in the world who say,
‘It wouldn’t make any difference! It wouldn’t make any difference!’
And they give up that view by not grasping another view.
There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:
‘I believe in everything.’
There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:
‘I believe in nothing.’
There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:
‘I believe in some things, and not in others.’
Regarding this, the view of the ascetics and brahmins who believe in everything
is close to greed, bondage, approving, attachment, and grasping.
The view of the ascetics and brahmins who believe in nothing
is far from greed, bondage, approving, attachment, and grasping.”
When he said this, the wanderer Dīghanakha said to the Buddha,
“Master Gotama commends my conviction! He recommends my conviction!”
“Now, regarding the ascetics and brahmins who
believe in some things and not in others.
Their view of what they believe in is close to greed, bondage, approving, attachment, and grasping.
Their view of what they don’t believe in is far from greed, bondage, approving, attachment, and grasping.
When it comes to the view of the ascetics and brahmins who
believe in everything,
a sensible person reflects like this:
‘I have the view that
I believe in everything.
Suppose I obstinately stick to this view and insist that,
“This is the only truth, other ideas are silly.”
Then I’d argue with two people—
an ascetic or brahmin who believes in nothing,
and an ascetic or brahmin who believes in some things and not in others.

And when there’s arguing, there’s quarreling; when there’s quarreling there’s anguish; and when there’s anguish there’s harm.’
So, considering in themselves the potential for arguing, quarreling, anguish, and harm, they give up that view by not grasping another view.
That’s how those views are given up and let go.
When it comes to the view of the ascetics and brahmins who
believe in nothing,
a sensible person reflects like this:
‘I have the view that
I believe in nothing.
Suppose I obstinately stick to this view and insist that,
“This is the only truth, other ideas are silly.”
Then I’d argue with two people—
an ascetic or brahmin who believes in everything,
and an ascetic or brahmin who believes in some things and not in others.

And when there’s arguing, there’s quarreling; when there’s quarreling there’s anguish; and when there’s anguish there’s harm.’
So, considering in themselves the potential for arguing, quarreling, anguish, and harm, they give up that view by not grasping another view.
That’s how those views are given up and let go.
When it comes to the view of the ascetics and brahmins who
believe in some things and not in others,
a sensible person reflects like this:
‘I have the view that
I believe in some things and not in others.
Suppose I obstinately stick to this view and insist that,
“This is the only truth, other ideas are silly.”
Then I’d argue with two people—
an ascetic or brahmin who believes in everything,
and an ascetic or brahmin who believes in nothing.

And when there’s arguing, there’s quarreling; when there’s quarreling there’s anguish; and when there’s anguish there’s harm.’
So, considering in themselves the potential for arguing, quarreling, anguish, and harm, they give up that view by not grasping another view.
That’s how those views are given up and let go.
Aggivessana, this body is physical. It’s made up of the four primary elements, produced by mother and father, built up from rice and porridge, liable to impermanence, to wearing away and erosion, to breaking up and destruction. You should see it as impermanent, as suffering, as diseased, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as falling apart, as empty, as not-self.
Doing so, you’ll give up desire, affection, and subservience to the body.
There are these three feelings:
pleasant, painful, and neutral.
At a time when you feel a pleasant feeling, you don’t feel a painful or neutral feeling;
you only feel a pleasant feeling.
At a time when you feel a painful feeling, you don’t feel a pleasant or neutral feeling;
you only feel a painful feeling.
At a time when you feel a neutral feeling, you don’t feel a pleasant or painful feeling;
you only feel a neutral feeling.
Pleasant, painful, and neutral feelings are impermanent, conditioned, dependently originated, liable to end, vanish, fade away, and cease.

Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with pleasant, painful, and neutral feelings.
Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed.
They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.’
A mendicant whose mind is freed like this doesn’t side with anyone or dispute with anyone. They speak the language of the world without misapprehending it.”
Now at that time Venerable Sāriputta was standing behind the Buddha fanning him.
Then he thought,
“It seems the Buddha speaks of giving up and letting go all these things through direct knowledge.”
Reflecting like this, Venerable Sāriputta’s mind was freed from the defilements by not grasping.
And the stainless, immaculate vision of the Dhamma arose in the wanderer Dīghanakha:
“Everything that has a beginning has an end.”
Then Dīghanakha saw, attained, understood, and fathomed the Dhamma. He went beyond doubt, got rid of indecision, and became self-assured and independent of others regarding the Teacher’s instructions. He said to the Buddha:
“Excellent, Master Gotama! Excellent!
As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with good eyes can see what’s there, Master Gotama has made the teaching clear in many ways.
I go for refuge to Master Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha.
From this day forth, may Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”